Transformers-shadows
by Unicrondestroyer
Summary: On Cybertron, there was a bombing at a spaceport in Iacon, and no one knows how. Some say it was a freak accident, but others believe it was terrorism. Detective Nightbeat must dig into the past to uncover the dark secret behind loading bay 65. But will he be prepare for the truth?
1. The rhythm of darkness

_The autobots ship, the recluse, touched down at the Iacon spaceport, loading bay 65. A ramp folded out of it and dock loaders changed into alt. mode to move the cargo. _

_"Come on! Get your cases cranking!" the dock foreman called. The workers heaved the crates and barrels from the ship's hold. Nearby, a shadowy figure stalked the workers, _

_creeping about the mountains of freight. He pressed a button on an explosive, arming the device. The figure changed to vehicle mode and retreated. Inside his cockpit, a _

_beacon flashed. At the dock, a worker approached the device. "Hey, look at-" he couldn't finish his sentence when the explosive went off. The energon shipments burst into _

_flames and the dock collapsed into an chaotic inferno. "DAMAGE CONTROL GET UP HERE, STAT!" the dock foreman shouted. Three fire engines rushed to the call. They were _

_Inferno, Hosehead, and Hot spot. They changed to robot mode and sprayed foam on the blanket of smoke that had become loading bay 65. _

"Very interesting, detective." Prowl said as he shuffled some data tiles and slid them in his desk drawer. "That's Nghtbeat, to you." asserted Nightbeat. "Yes whatever." Prowl

said, uninterested. "I'm here to bring that joker who barbecued loading bay 65 to justice." Nightbeat explained as he sat down in front of Prowl. "Well, we don't have much

evidence to say who did it and why." Prowl said. "You must not know me." Nightbeat began as he kicked his feet up on Prowl's desk, "the truth can climb any mountain, cross

any river, but I'll find it." he finished. "Well, you seem like quite the 'bot to tackle this case." Prowl said. "OTHER THAN MY SKID-PLATE!" He added, and burst into laughter.

Nightbeat was infuriated. He felt like grabbing Prowl by the neck and throttling him till his head snapped off and rolled on the floor. "I'LL SHOW YOU!" protested Nightbeat,

and he changed shape and zoomed off, leaving skid marks on the regularly swept floor. Prowl was still laughing and lost balance in his chair, tipping over. He revved out of

the police department, bumping into people and knocking over vendors. He finally stopped, changing form and tripping into a puddle of grease. he glared at his reflection.

_What if I can't solve this case?_ He thought to himself. A sly shape hovered over him. he glanced up and saw an orange and magenta bot with a slender build. "The name's

Huffer, you?" he asked.

"I-I'm Nightbeat." Nightbeat responded. Huffer gave him a hand and Nightbeat stood up. "You a detective?" Huffer quizzed. "Yeah." Nightbeat asked him"You're tryin' to find

who bombed the Ibex spaceport?". "Yep." he answered. "They say it was a faulty fuel conduit, but I believe otherwise. I saw a figure dart away." Huffer said. "You were at

Loading bay 65?!" Nightbeat exclaimed. "Hell, I worked there. I was there when the bombing happened. I remember lookin' over my shoulder seein' just what I saw every

day, then all hell broke loose." Huffer said. "Come on, let's go." he said. The two changed to vehicle mode and drove off...


	2. A lock with no key

Huffer and Nightbeat drove into a dilapidated hab suite. They changed form and Nightbeat looked in disgust as he saw spare parts, lube cans and an antique

muzzle-loading blaster from Nova Prime's era. "Sooooo...Nice place." Nightbeat said. "Yeah, it's a dump. Some of us can't live in fancy hab suites. "

Grunted Huffer. "Where do we start?" he asked. "Well, first, we examine the crime scene and ask some dock workers where were they when the bombing

happened." Nightbeat said. The pair journeyed to a suborbital shuttle port. When Nightbeat went to the ticket booth, Huffer was annoying an old 'bot about what did he turn

into. "Come on, stop pestering that old 'bot." Nightbeat said. "Oh, all right." mumbled Huffer. The old 'bot transformed and drove away. "Hey, man, not cool!" said Huffer.

"It's impolite to ask someone about their alt. mode." Nightbeat scolded him. "For all you know, he could've turned into an artillery gun and blew you to bits." he said. Huffer

wore a pouted face for the rest of the walk to the sub-trans. Meanwhile, the old bot transformed and confronted a dark figure. "The detective and his companion are going to '

Iacon, should we stop them?" He asked. "No, let them fall into the trap we have set for them." a muffled voice came from the figure. It sounded cold and ambitious. "Let Block

and Tackle take care of them for us."

Back at the station, Nightbeat and Huffer stepped on the platform to the shuttle. They handed their tickets to the conductor. The two 'bots sat on a seat. It felt hard on

Nightbeat's chassis. "We are preparing for takeoff, please refrain from using electronic devices, thank you." said a a steward. Nightbeat heard a bell and the shuttle's engines

blasted off. He felt his innermost energon boil as his seat vibrated from the roaring engines. "Never been on a shuttle before?" asked Huffer. "Nope, this is my first time."

Nightbeat answered. "Yeah, well there's a first time for everything." Huffer said as he kicked back in his seat, propping his head on one arm and took a glass of enegex from

a passing stewardess. He tossed her a shanix and took a sip. Nightbeat proceeded to take a glass as well. Nightbeat reached for his wallet, but Huffer interrupted him and

said, "Here, drinks on me.". Nightbeat took a sip. "Hey, Huffer, it's been pretty fun so far, the way you took me in." he said. "To friends." Huffer said. "To friends." echoed

Nightbeat. They made a toast to being friends.

Later, when the captain announced over the intercom,"Attention passengers, we are now arriving in the city of Iacon." Huffer was dozing off. "Huffer! Wake up, buddy!"

Nightbeat said. He punched Huffer on the shoulder. "UGH! Whazat?" Huffer grunted as he arose from his slumber. "We're in Iacon!" he said. When the shuttle landed, the two

departed and nearby, Block and Tackle, two thugs hired by the unnamed criminal watched Nightbeat and Huffer leave. "There's who the boss told us to get, now let's roll!"

said Block, then He and Tackle changed to vehicle mode and drove away. They banged people out of the way. "Huffer, look out!" said Nightbeat. Huffer jumped out of the

way, just before tackle crashed into a pile of freight. He transformed and drew a blaster. "Hey, little guy, wanna see if Primus is real?" Tackle sneered. Suddenly, a green bot

with orange accents crashed into tackle and bonked his head against block's. "Hey! Huffer! how's my good buddy comin' along?" He asked. "Is it really you, Roadbuster?"

Huffer asked. "As Roadbuster-ey as I'll ever be!" Roadbuster said. "Nightbeat, this is Roadbuster, one of my good friends from when we were dock-workers." Huffer said.

Nightbeat shook hands with Roadbuster. "You may know me as one of the wreckers." Roadbuster said. Huffer said with excitement, "You're a wrecker?!". "Yep" answered

Roadbuster. come on, let's go to the base." He suggested. The three transformed and drove to the base. when they arrived, two smaller 'bots approached them. "Who's

that?"one of them asked. "Topspin, Twintwist, this is Nightbeat and Huffer." Roadbuster said. "We'd better make sure Impactor knows about this." Twintwist said. "Impactor

come in, Roadbuster is with two autobots, are they clear?". A muffled response came from his comm., "Let them through." "You heard the boss, you can go through." Topspin

said. The three strolled into the wreckers' base. Nightbeat marveled at the burly figures standing near him. _There's Whirl, Pyro, Rotorstorm, Inferno, Sandstorm, the whole _

_nine yards!_ Nightbeat thought to himself.

"Hey!" said Springer, "Roadbuster told us about you, you wanna arm wrestle?" he asked. Huffer smirked and sat down with him. "Put 'em up!" Huffer said. Huffer rested his

arm on the table, and so did Springer. "And, GO!" said Broadside. The two struggled and strained to beat each other. Huffer twisted and jerked his wrist in attempt to beat

Springer, and as Springer's arm gave out, Huffer slammed it down on the table. Broadside, Inferno, and Whirl congratulated him. Nearby, Roadbuster said to Nightbeat,

Come to my circuit slab, I've got something to show you.". Nightbeat followed Roadbuster into the quarters. Roadbuster opened a box and pulled from it a data tile. It was a

picture of the bombing snapped at the right moment. Nightbeat's energon turned to ice as he gazed in horror. It was Prowl. He was responsible for the bombing. All those

sparks extinguished. All that damage done. All his fault. "We need to tell Optimus Prime!" Nightbeat said.


	3. betrayal

The next day, Nightbeat and Huffer went to Greater Iacon. When they approached Autobase, Autobot warriors approached them. "What do you want?" One of them asked.

"I'm here to see Optimus Prime." Nightbeat declared. "Hound, check with Prime about these two seeing him." Ordered one. "On it, Bluestreak." Hound said. He transformed and

drove to Optimus' command room. "Optimus, two Autobots are outside and want to see you!" he said. "Let them in." Optimus said. The gate creaked ope outside and Nightbeat

and Hound walked through. when they got to Optimus' command room, "Optimus Prime, it's an honor." Nightbeat said with pride. "Have a seat you two, I want to talk to

you."Prime said. The two of them pulled up a chair and sat at Prime's desk. "What is it you want to tell me?" He asked. Nightbeat felt his fuel pump leak, he said, "I take it you

remember the bombing at the spaceport, on the 3rd cycle 334?". "All to well." Prime responded. "We found out who did it." Nightbeat said. "Who?" Prime asked. "Huffer."

Nightbeat said. Huffer showed Prime the picture Roadbuster had taken that day. " I don't believe it! It was Prowl the whole time! And we were so busy pinning it on the

Decepticons." Prime said. We have to capture him, Ultra Magnus, put together an assault force!" He said, Ultra Magnus called out, "Technobots, Scattershot, Strafe,

Nosecone, Afterburner, and Lightspeed, transform to Computron!", "Dinobots, Grimlock, Snarl, Sludge, Slag, and Swoop, transform!", "And finally, Brawn, Bumblebee,

Smokescreen, Hound, and Sideswipe, transform!". Optimus said, "Nightbeat, lead the way. TRANSFORM AND ROLL OUT!". He transformed and the convoy took off.

When they arrived in Vos, at the block where the police station was located, Optimus said, "Ultra Magnus, take the Technobots and Dinobots and circle the block, make sure

when I contact you to be at the rendezvous point where we'll capture Prowl. Everyone else, we'll flush Prowl from his headquarters.". The group split up. When the Autobots

arrived in the police station, Optimus kicked the door off its hinges with one blow. "Prowl." he growled. his lip curled under his mouth plate. "Well if it isn't Optimus Prime."

Prowl said. "You know why I'm here." Prime said angrily. "Of course you do." Prowl huffed. The autobots shuffled in their positions. "You placed that bomb at the loading bay.

You extinguished all those innocent sparks, destroyed what was a testament to the prowess of Cybertron's economy. You make me sick." Prime said. "GO TO HELL!" Prowl

roared. "AUTOBOTS! FIRE!" Optimus said. The autobots' blasters spewed laser bolts across the room. Prowl retaliated by firing his shoulder missiles. They exploded in a

burst of flames, knocking out Sideswipe and Smokescreen. He lashed out at Prime and punched hum in the face, but Prime elbowed him across the chin.

"You're getting, slow, old man!" Prowl sneered at Prime as they grappled. "Then I'll shift into next gear!" retorted Prime, and kicked Prowl. Nightbeat tackled him,

repeatedly punching him in the face. Energon dripped down Prowl's lips as he said, "The reason I bombed loading bay 65 is because with all the new cargo, people wanted to

steal it and so I decide to cut the Gordian knot by destroying the spaceport, one loading bay at a time, until the traders are so afraid to dock, that they'll leave and the crime

rate'll go down."

"And at the same time, you committed crime yourself , terrorizing the spaceport like that!" Nightbeat said as he pinioned him to the floor. Prowl threw him off and smashed

through the window of his office. Nearby, Ultra Magnus and his group saw Prowl escape. "Optimus! We are beginning pursuit of the fugitive!" he said. "Understood!" Optimus

said. He and the autobots joined Ultra Magnus and his group. Scattershot fired his laser cannons at prowl, bu they missed. Snarl fired his snout laser at Prowl, and the

explosion sent him flying. Prowl landed on the pavement. Grimlock scooped him up in his jaw and shook him about. He then dropped him on the ground. "What do you have

to say for yourself?" Optimus asked Prowl. "Suddenly, Starscream, Thundercracker, and Skywarp flew over head. They strafed the autobots and Starscream said, "Come,

Prowl, Lord Megatron wishes to see you!" Prowl jumped and caught Starscream's wing. The Autobots fired into the sky. "Damn! He got away!" Nightbeat said. "You showed

real courage back there Nightbeat." Optimus said as he rested his hand on Nightbeat's shoulder. "That is why I'm going to make you Prowl's successor, as chief of criminal

justice." Optimus said. "HOORAY!" the Autobots cheered. The autobots congratulated Nightbeat on being chief of criminal justice.

Epilogue-Starscream, Thundercracker, Skywarp and Prowl came to Megatron in his throne room. "STARSCREAM! Why do stain the floor of my throne room with tbhis

wretched Autobot?!" Megatron questioned. "I am an Autobot no more." Prowl said. "Then let us begin with your assimilation into our ranks." Megatron said... to be

continued...


End file.
